The present invention relates generally to improvements in control mechanisms and it relates particularly to an improved operation sequencing and timing mechanism for dispensing and vending machines for beverages and the like.
In the conventional hot beverage vending machine it is the common practice to provide the customer with a wide range of choices as to the beverage additives. Thus, in the machine dispensing of coffee, the coffee, sugar and creamer are usually storaged as powders and are automatically metered into the dispensed beverages in accordance with the customer's selection, that is, black coffee, coffee with cream or extra cream, coffee with sugar or extra sugar, or combinations thereof. However, the mechanisms heretofore available and proposed allowing a wide range of beverage ingredient solutions, as above, possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. They are highly complex and complicated, and employ numerous electrical components such as relays and the like; they are bulky and unreliable, difficult to service and maintain, and they are expensive and of little versatility and adaptability.